Quick Note:Two or three users have had an issue flashing the backup after creating a restore. This seems to be caused by errors in Koush's clockworkmod recovery. That said, using clockworkmod is currently the only way to create a nandroid backup.

As always (and as stated in the forum guidelines) no one is responsible for your phone but you. This is where you should start in the Android Modding world and if you have problems then remember that any time you mess with /system files it can end in tears.

[/warning]

The first thing you should do after you root your phone (as in before doing anything else) is create a backup. This way you have somewhere to return to if you mess something up on your phone.

I read somewhere once that it's like having 999 lives in Contra. So true. So, I'm going to help you do it.

There are three tools you'll probably want. One is absolutely necessary, the other two are just handy to have.

Koush's Bootstrapper is a tool used to boot into clockworkmod recovery. You can make a custom image of your phone, install roms, etc. all from the recovery menu.

After downloading the .apk above, install it after browsing to the file on your sdcard.

In order to do so you must allow 3rd party sources to install apps. Turn this setting on in:

Settings -> Applications -> checkmark 'Unknown sources'

Make sure you're rooted, then load up "Droid X Bootstrapper". Press Bootstrap Recovery (it will prompt for superuser access and then say "success"), then Reboot Recovery (it will also ask for superuser access, then reboot your phone).

Your phone will reboot into the clockworkmod recovery area - this is a crucial thing to get used to if you're going to play around with your phone.

Before you do anything else:

Use the volume buttons to navigate to "Backup and Restore"

Press the camera button to enter that menu

Select "Backup" and press the camera button

It will go through the backing up process, it may take a minute or two, don't battery pull or anything dumb like that.

When it's finished creating the backup it will kick you back to the main menu. Highlight "reboot system now" and press the camera button to reboot your phone.

Video Demonstration:

You now have a stable backup of your current system saved onto your sdcard. Anything you do - as long as you can get to clockwork recovery - is reversible back to this point.

To see how the backup feature functions you must first change something in your system: e.g. delete something off your home screen, a widget, anything. Do this now (make it noticeable to you - delete your clock or something).

Go back to Koush's Boostrapper app

Click Boostrap Recovery

Click Reboot Recovery

You're back in clockwork recovery again.

Navigate to "Backup and Restore"

Select "Restore" - this is where all your system flashes are kept, you should only have one.

Navigate to it, press the camera button. It will ask for confirmation

Select "Yes - Restore"

It will begin restoring your phone. It may take a minute. Once again do not do a battery pull. When it's finished you will be on the main menu. Select "reboot system now". It will boot you back into the operating system; however, now you're back to your flashed system file - you'll see the widget you had previously deleted returned to normal!

Video Demonstration:

Reboot your phone. It will go right back into your regular interface - no clockwork recovery. The reason for this is in order to boot into the clockworkmod recovery the .apk checks for a minute file that basically tells the phone to redirect to the recovery - on a successful reboot with clockwork (if you have the .apk installed) it will delete this file so you don't boot back into clockwork unless you want to.

Backups are stored on the sdcard in /clockworkmod/backup - you can name them to anything you want in order to help you remember what backup they are (e.g. clean 2.2 or ssx)

Ahh, that makes sense now. I actually just skimmed through and bookmarked the links in your sig just a little while ago, but after reading so many different threads the past few hours, I started getting everything jumbled up. Thanks for your help.

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